THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD - PART 429

God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world but rather that the world through Him might be saved. And herein lies the human dilemma. This same Light of God came into the world to save us. But men seeing and hearing the Words of Light chose instead to love the actions and words of darkness. Why? Because man’s sin prone flesh was inclined to do evil and to do otherwise would require that our evil ways be reproved.

A New Testament example of the conflict that exists within a man's soul -- the dilemma between good and evil -- is found in a man named Saul. The name Saul means destroyer. Saul was a radical Jew. To Christians, Saul was a religious terrorist. In fact, Saul was more zealous in his terrorism than the majority of others with a similar mindset. When Stephen was preaching to a group of Jewish men, it is recorded in Acts chapter 7 that Saul (or Paul as he later was named -- Paul being rebuilder) was part of the group. In verse 47, we read Stephen's discourse to the Jews:

But Solomon built Him a house. Howbeit, the most High dwells not in temples made with hands; for the prophet says, "Heaven is my throne, and earth is my footstool. What house will ye build me?" asks the Lord, "or what is the place of My rest? Hath not my hand made all these things?"

You are stiff-necked and uncircumcised in your heart and ears. You seem always to resist His holy Spirit, even as your fathers did, so also do you. Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? And they have slain them which showed before of the coming of the just One; (JESUS) who you have now been the betrayers and murderers. You have received the Law by the disposition of angels, and have not kept it.

When the crowd heard these things, they were cut in their heart, and they gnashed on Stephen with their teeth. But Stephen being full of the Holy Spirit, looked up steadfastly into heaven, and saw the Glory of God, and JESUS standing on the right hand of God. Stephen said, "Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God."

The crowd began crying out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon Stephen. They cast Stephen out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man's feet, whose name was Saul (Paul). So the crowd stoned Stephen whilst he was calling upon God saying, "Lord JESUS, receive my spirit." Stephen kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, "Lord, lay not this sin to their charge." And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

Note: Stephen's deathbed confession was that He saw JESUS ‘STANDING' -- standing designates intervention concerning the ‘finished work of salvation’ -- as presented as JESUS. ‘SITTING‘ Stephen was calling upon God, and saying to God 'Lord JESUS receive my Spirit.’ Saul was the young man at the time observing and consenting.